Can crochet change the world? If you ask Phillip Ha, he’ll tell you that making small stuffed creatures out of yarn (a.k.a. amigurumi in Japanese) is indeed a powerful path to patience, persistence and better problem-solving.
Ha grew up in Calgary with Vietnamese-Canadian parents who owned and ran a tailor shop on 17th Avenue S.W. for many years. “I watched them fix and make clothes, and I learned to appreciate the value of working with my hands,” says Ha, who works as a substitute math teacher in the Calgary Catholic School District where he has motivated students to establish crochet clubs.
Inspired to create critters from the real world and fiction — many from the Pokémon universe — Ha taught himself to crochet to make the plushies he couldn’t afford to buy. And his skill in math lends itself to crocheting by helping him understand shaping techniques, stitch counting and calculating dimensions when it comes to designing amigurumi patterns. “I’ve always loved figuring out how things work, I like making cute things and I like math — crochet puts it all together for me,” he says.
Now, Ha sells his coveted creatures at markets and also designs crochet patterns that he sells online through his SirPurlGrey Etsy shop. His Instagram (@sirpurlgrey) showcases many of his incredibly detailed and well-crafted little friends.
Ha’s constantly moving hands and the innumerable finished creations he shares in his classrooms serve as conversation-starters for him to connect with others and illuminate the positive benefits of handcrafting. “Crochet helps with focus by requiring us to get into the habit of putting away all other distractions,” he says.
It’s impossible not to be charmed by Ha and his adorable crocheted characters, especially for the growing number of young men embracing the craft through online tutorials (including Ha’s on YouTube). It’s a small, woolly act of rebellion and self-expression. Crochet today, change the world tomorrow.
Phillip Ha’s High Five
The educator and craft artisan shares his favourite things.
“I love the Calgary streetwear brand Milk Run. I have a white long-sleeved shirt with lemons on it. I love yellow and I love lemons. It’s my favourite shirt.”
“I live in Ramsay, not far from Canela Vegan Bakery and Café in Inglewood. You’d never guess their stuff is vegan — it’s so delicious, and I always go for their cinnamon buns. They do different frosting flavours [seasonally and on the side, if you ask]. And they have the most amazing breakfast sandwiches.”
“After watching Doechii perform at the Grammys this year, I got obsessed with her album, Alligator Bites Never Heal. I’ve been listening to it on repeat for a month. Her style of rapping is so clear, and her lyrics are inspiring. I’m usually crocheting when I listen to it.”
“I dance as an extracurricular hobby. I’ve been dancing with Free Spirit Dance for about three years now, mainly house, jazz funk and hip hop.”
“Anytime I’m commuting, I listen to podcasts. Lately, I’ve been listening to something called Ologies. The host, Alie Ward, interviews a different “ologist”’ — like anthropologists, sociologists and biologists — whose specialties are really interesting. Every week, I learn about a job or research I wasn’t aware of. It’s very cool to hear about what people do for a living.”